


We Can Drive Around This Town

by tigerlady (shetiger)



Series: Folie à... [5]
Category: Sanctuary - Fandom
Genre: Animalistic Behavior, Claiming, Come Marking, Episode Tag, F/M, M/M, Marking, Navigating relationship waters, Sunsets
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-04
Updated: 2012-06-04
Packaged: 2017-11-06 20:49:36
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,034
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/423042
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shetiger/pseuds/tigerlady
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After rescuing Tesla from the Source Blood Bugs, they don't go straight back to Old City. Which leaves Will with time to think...and time to get closer to both Helen and Henry.</p><p>(Yeah, this is pretty much nothing but sex.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	We Can Drive Around This Town

**Author's Note:**

> This has been sitting, finished, on my hard drive for well over a year. Um. Because that's the way I roll. 
> 
> Thank you to kageygirl, as always, for playing in this world with me. Thank you to smittywing for betaing. And thank you for anyone who takes the time to read this. <3
> 
> Takes place right after Trail of Blood.

Three heads were bent over the cluttered workbench, intent on something that looked like one of the energy stunners, panel open to show off the glowing blue energy core. The table top was as cluttered with wires and tools and unrecognizable parts as every flat surface in Henry's lab back home, but the mess didn't appear to make a dent in the trio's ability to work. A hand darted in to prod at a wire—Henry's, maybe, but it was impossible to tell from this angle.

Will crossed his arms, content with being the unobserved shadow in the room for the moment. Camila was closest to him, though the dangling wisps of hair escaping her bun and the dark frames of her eyeglasses didn't leave a lot of her profile to take in. Will liked her. She'd been quiet but friendly when they'd spoken earlier, and, going from her body language, she'd immediately liked Henry and disliked Tesla. Not without cause; Tesla had measured her with a slow, leering gaze when they'd all been introduced, in a way he probably thought of as charming, and her smile had stiffened like a fly in amber.

Apparently, though, the siren call of a complex engineering problem swept away all past misdeeds, at least momentarily. Whatever grudges Henry was holding from earlier certainly didn't show, not with the way he was crowded in close to Tesla, offering rumbly-voiced suggestions every few seconds. And Tesla... Will had to give it to the guy. When he actually was working, lost in that mental space where the prima donna act took second stage, his brilliance was as compelling as that of any other beautiful mind.

"Maybe," Tesla murmured, and Henry perked up like a dog catching a scent. He—or maybe it was Tesla's hand, they were that close—did something to the guts of the stunner-thing. Nothing happened that Will saw, but the three of them started crowing. Henry thumped Tesla on the shoulder. Tesla grinned.

Will cleared his throat.

Camila was the only one who looked up. "Oh! Dr. Zimmerman. Can I help you?"

"Will, please," he said, shrugging. "And no, not really. I was just checking in. Wondering if Henry was ready for dinner."

It took a couple of seconds, but Henry finally did look up. "Oh, hey," he said, flashing a smile that did things to Will's insides that were just plain ridiculous, considering how often he saw it aimed his way. "How was the tour?"

That was a subject he could warm to. "So very cool. The lower sections are the actual tunnels that were built for the Castillo, way back in the seventeenth century. They just cut them off from the rest of the fort, from what the tourists...." He trailed off as he realized Henry wasn't listening anymore, sucked back into the project in front of him. Camila was still watching him, though, so he shot her a grateful smile. "It's really cool."

Camila nodded. "I think so, too. Growing up, all the school children told stories about how ghosts and monsters lived beneath the Castillo. You can imagine how I felt when I came to work here and discovered the truth."

"Yeah, a bit." Mind-blowing, life-affirming; Will didn't know Camila, couldn't guess at how her experience compared to his, but he was pretty sure being introduced to the Sanctuary network wasn't the kind of thing anyone ever described as anything less than 'very cool'. She smiled at him again, then turned back to the irresistible stunner.

Will stifled a sigh. "So, dinner?"

Henry waved a hand at him. "I had a sandwich a half hour ago."

"Right," Will muttered. "So you're not interested in taking a _break_ for a little bit?"

"Nah, I'm good."

Will wondered if this was some kind of karmic revenge for all the times he'd been too deeply buried in his own research and theories to give Meg the time of day. Not that he and Henry were in the kind of relationship where they planned on spending all their off-work time together. But Henry was a guy. Will was a guy. He didn't think it was that crazy to want to try out the huge bed in his guest room while the sun set over the city.

"Thanks for asking, by the way," Tesla said, his eyebrow as arch as his voice. He still had a bit of soot around his eyes, which was pathetic considering Helen had forced him to trash his clothes and shower as soon as they got to the Cartagena Sanctuary. "I'm doing great."

"As if that were ever in any doubt." Will sighed, then hitched his thumb over his shoulder. Not that any of them were looking. "I'll just let you guys do your thing, then. I don't suppose any of you know where Magnus is?"

Tesla looked up. "I thought she was on the grand tour with you."

"She got called away near the end." He'd waited for her to return, and then, when that obviously wasn't going to happen, had gone off in search of her, worried that something big needed her attention. She wasn't anywhere to be found, though Maria, the Cartagena Head of House, had assured him that there weren't any emergencies in the network. He'd been left with nothing to do but wander around the foreign sanctuary on his own, hole himself up in his room like an abandoned teenager--or come down here and try to entice Henry away from his pals.

Yeah, obviously that last one had worked out so very well.

"I'm sure she's just dealing with grown-up stuff," Tesla tossed out as he inspected the tip of a screwdriver. "I wouldn't worry your pretty little head about it."

Will didn't dignify that with a response. "Later," he said, and got a goodbye nod from Henry. At least it was something.

He grabbed a sandwich for himself from the staff kitchen, then headed up to his room. The Cartagena crew was small, like the operating crew at every Sanctuary, and while they were more than friendly, they didn't have time to spare for entertaining him. He figured he'd head back down later, help with the late-night feedings, maybe spend some time talking to some of the abnormals. Right now he needed to clear his head. Spending all day caught up in Tesla's machinations really didn't do good things to his people skills.

The Cartagena Sanctuary didn't have the size or magnificence of the London and Old City buildings, tucked as it was into the neighborhood at the foot of San Lazaro Hill, but the view from his room was amazing. Will slid the glass door open and stepped out on the balcony to watch the sunset. The humidity hit him hard, sweat springing up in the small of his back immediately, but he ignored it. Downtown Cartagena sat directly across the deepening blue of the small strait in front of the Sanctuary. The lights of its skyscrapers and passing cars were blazing, creating a gorgeous mix of oranges and yellows that were an imperfect reflection of the sky above.

A year ago, Will would have wanted to be out there. Exploring the city, having a drink and flirting a little, taking some time away from the crazy world he'd stepped into. Just to decompress. The thought didn't hold the same appeal now. Not since Kali. Not since he'd died.

The wind shifted, gusting against his skin, and he was grateful for it. Not because it managed to cool him off any--but because it reminded him that this wasn't Mumbai. The streets of Deravi had been close with humidity and people, never a breath of wind between the buildings, and wherever he'd been with Kali was so utterly empty it had almost felt like a vacuum. Will closed his eyes and tipped his head back, enjoying the tickle of the breeze across his cheeks.

If he was going to be honest with himself, it wasn't just Kali or any of the other scary things that had changed his outlook. Things were different, ever since he'd started whatever it was with Henry and Helen. Now, he didn't need to physically escape to soothe the itching inside his head.

He was a little afraid to put a name to exactly what he did need, though.

A few long, deep breaths later, he opened his eyes. He'd thought Helen was crazy, that first night he'd found her out on the crenellations above Old City, but there was definitely something to be said for fresh air and a different point of view. Will turned, feeling more himself and more than ready to escape the heat—and stilled. 

Helen was sitting on the edge of his bed, staring out at him.

Will let himself look at her, like he tried not to look at her while they were working. She'd showered and changed earlier, as they all had, but she'd chosen a light summer dress rather than one of her usual power skirt ensembles. It didn't really have sleeves, more like scallop-edged floaty things that flared over her shoulders, leaving the lines of muscle in her upper arms bare to his gaze. The front dipped into a low V, showing off enough cleavage to make him swallow hard. Her legs were crossed at the ankles, her feet in yet another pair of strappy, gorgeous, ridiculous heels.

There was a quietness about the way she was sitting that made him think there was something heavy on her mind. Something to do with her earlier phone call, rather than anything to do with him. At least, he didn't think it did, not when she was admiring him so openly. Will stepped back into the room, sliding the door shut behind him, and crossed the distance between them.

"Hey," he said quietly, unable to stop himself from smiling at her.

She smiled back up at him. "Hey, yourself." The colloquialism sounded slightly ridiculous on her tongue, and he had no doubt that was why she indulged him every now and then. She reached out, tugging his left hand away from his hip pocket so she could tangle their index fingers together. "Are you all right? It looked like you were thinking deep thoughts out there."

He shrugged. "Nothing big. Just enjoying the view, mostly. And I was going to ask you the same thing."

Helen sighed and released his hand. "I received a disturbing call. It seems an old acquaintance was murdered. Father Nathaniel Jensen. Did you ever meet him?"

Will shook his head. "I don't think so. He was in Old City?"

Helen nodded. "In the Fifth Ward. He worked tirelessly for years to help abnormals in need find us. Ever since one in particular stumbled onto his doorstep, suffering from terrible gunshot wounds."

Will raised his eyebrows. "The Big Guy? Oh, man."

Helen sighed. "He's devastated, of course. Father Jensen has been a confidante of his as long as I have. I didn't get the whole story from Kate, but it seems that there's a bit of a mystery surrounding the whole thing, which makes it even worse."

"Do you want to head back right now?"

Helen shook her head. "There's no point, really. There's nothing for me to do, and he'll be in grieving rituals all night, anyway." Her gaze had gone distant while they were talking, her mind clearly back home, but then her eyes snapped up and she smiled at him. "Would you sit down, please? There's no reason to hover."

"Right. Sorry." He sat down beside her, drawing his leg up so that he could face her, more or less. She mirrored his posture, then reached for his hand again. She wasn't content with simple contact this time. She traced the pads of her fingers over the backs of his, skimmed them up the back of his forearm to his elbow, then back down the sensitive underside. It sent a shiver up his spine and raised goosebumps where she'd been, but he didn't pull away from her touch. When her fingers had finished their trip, she turned his hand over and matched their hands, palm to palm and finger to finger.

"You were right about Nikola, of course," she said after a moment, surprising him.

"You were, too," he said, unable to help a sigh. "He did need our help."

Helen snorted. "How painful was that for you to say?"

Will tipped his head back and forth, making a show of considering the question. "Paper cut, I'd say. Not that big of a deal objectively, but really freakin' annoying all the same."

Helen chuckled. She lifted his hand to her mouth, kissing the tip of his index finger. "Poor dear."

"I know a much better cure than that," he said, and moved in for a real kiss. Her mouth was better than any sunset view, grounding the jitters in the back of his head in a way that probably wasn't healthy. He brushed her hair back away from her face, then sank his fingers deeper into its mass, cupping her head as her lips moved against his.

"Mmm," she said, drawing back just enough to rub her nose against his. "Will. About Nikola...."

"Oh, man," he said, disentangling his hand and pulling back. "Okay, new rule. No bringing up Tesla when I'm trying to make out with you."

"I'm being serious," she said, though her voice was tight with amusement.

"So am I." He winked, to show her he was joking, but that just made the smile slide off her face. "Hey, what? Talk to me."

She shook her head. "Sorry. I just...never mind. I wanted to say, about Nikola, that I know very well that he's a manipulator. A masterful one."

Will sighed. "One who knows _exactly_ which buttons to push with you. You get that that's why he drives me crazy, right? Why I can't not say anything?"

"I know. And I do want you to continue to be honest with me." She sounded both fond and exasperated—a lot like she did when dealing with Tesla. He hoped it was carryover from the subject of their conversation, and not directed at himself. "Although perhaps you could try to dial back on the sarcasm a bit, hmm?"

Or maybe it _was_ directed at him. He opened his mouth to protest, but Helen held up a hand.

"I know, I know. He brings it out in all of us. Including me at times." She let out a heavy breath, then closed her eyes for a second. "And I'm getting rather far afield. My point is, I know how Nikola is. But if he needs help from me, then I will give it, if I'm able. Do you understand that?"

Will nodded slowly. "And if he decides to try to take over the world again?"

She held his gaze unflinchingly. "Then I will stop him. Surely you cannot doubt my resolve in that."

He flushed, knowing exactly what she meant. After Ashley, the strength of Helen's will really wasn't in question. But he knew human emotions weren't that simple, that you couldn't make mathematical proofs that stated _if she reacts this way in this situation, then she'll react that way in all future situations_. He believed in her, though, and believed that she believed in her own ability to do whatever was necessary. Will wondered a little at her almost god-like sense of responsibility, and where it had come from. Whether she had taken it on with the decision to inject the source blood, or if maybe the blood itself had brought it out in her, alongside her longevity.

It wasn't a question to be answered tonight.

"I trust you," he said quietly. "And if that means I have to put up with Tesla every now and then, well. I guess there are worse things."

She laughed softly, sounding very pleased, and then brushed a kiss over his mouth. "Sweet Will. You're just saying that to make me happy."

Will snorted. "No, I am completely sincere about the fact that there are worse things in existence than Nikola Tesla."

Helen cocked an eyebrow. "Name one."

"Oh, now you're pushing it." Will caught her around the waist and tumbled them back onto the bed. She giggled up at him while he nipped at her throat. He pulled back, admiring the flush of happiness on her cheeks as he pondered her question. "That noxious green snot the androthurians produce. Not even Tesla makes me want to vomit that bad."

"That's practically a declaration of love, from you." Helen tugged on his T-shirt, and he lifted up enough that she could pull it over his head. "Perhaps I should be concerned."

Will snorted as he contemplated her dress. It was one of those slip-on-over-the-head types, so there weren't any buttons or zippers to attack. "Don't bother," he said as he slid his hand up under the hem. "He's got Henry to keep him occupied."

"Oh, I _see_." Helen's voice was encouragingly breathy as his hand slid up her inner thigh, but something in the way she spoke made him stop and stare at her.

"Wait. What's that supposed to mean?"

Helen stretched her arms over her head, arching her back slightly as she raised a coy eyebrow. "Whyever do you think it means anything at all?"

"Uh-huh." He ran his hand lightly up her side, stopping just below her breast. Helen just looked smug; apparently a century and a half of experience had provided an immunity to gentle tickling. A more direct approach was clearly in order. Will cupped her breast, rubbing his thumb over her nipple. She gasped and pushed up into his hand, her eyelids fluttering closed. One thing he'd quickly discovered in their short time together was that Helen **really** liked having her breasts played with. He pinched her nipple, and then, manfully ignoring the way her gasp went straight to his cock, moved his hand away. "Wanna try that again?"

She opened her eyes. The glazed look in them only lasted a moment before her focus returned with a devilish gleam. "It simply occurred to me that Henry spending time with Nikola might be behind your earlier brooding."

"Oh, no," he said, digging his fingers into her ribcage a little harder this time. It earned him a giggle and a very attractive squirm. "You did not just say that."

"I'm rather sure I did."

"No, no, no. You don't get to get away with that," he said, and bent forward to take her nipple between his teeth. She groaned immediately, grabbing at the back of his head and pressing him into her. He opened his mouth wide, taking in as much of her breast as he could, then shook off her grip. He lifted his head to meet her eyes. "I wasn't brooding."

"Of course not," she said, lips twitching.

He narrowed his eyes. "I never brood."

"The concept is entirely unknown to you, I agree," she said, and her eyes were so full of laughter and affection that Will couldn't keep up the act anymore. He grinned back at her, chuckling a little as he backed off the bed to stand at her feet. Helen arched an eyebrow. "Running away?"

"Yes, that's exactly what I'm doing," he said before heading to the bathroom to find his kit and the supplies that he'd taken to packing not out of hope, but necessity. He stuffed a condom into his pocket, kicked off his shoes, then locked the door to the bedroom before making his way back to Helen.

"Because of Henry?" she asked quietly.

Will shrugged. "He asked me to. I don't think he's gotten over walking in on us last week."

Helen nodded. "It _is_ quite different than being in the room when such things begin." She said it in a way that made it sound like there was a story behind her words, and this once, Will decided he didn't want to know. Especially since she had brought her leg up, rubbing her foot against the inside of his thigh. He caught her ankle and lifted it so that he could undo the tiny buckles holding her shoe in place. The action had the side effect of causing the skirt of her dress to fall around her hips, showing off her panties.

"You're getting distracted," Helen said with a smirk as his fingers slowed.

"You're very distracting," he told her, guiding the shoe off, then repeating the process for her other foot. He set the pair neatly next to the bed, then held out a hand to her. "Stand up?"

She did as he asked, resting her hands against his chest. "So you can kiss me while I'm shorter than you?" 

"Well, I kind of like it the other way around, too, but since you brought it up...." She was still quite a bit taller than Henry this way, taller than most of the other women he'd dated, too. Didn't make a bit of difference to the actual kissing. She smiled against his mouth at first, then opened to him, turning the kiss deep and dirty. He dropped his hands to her ass, pulling her flush against him, and she pressed her thigh between his legs. They made out like that for a bit, hungrily and with no room for teasing words.

"Will," Helen finally gasped, right about the time when he was starting to ache with need. He tugged her dress upwards, Helen raising her arms to help. Only when he'd dropped her dress to the floor did he realize she hadn't been wearing a bra. He barely had time to take in her unusual sartorial freedom before she started working on his belt. Together they shoved his pants and boxers to the floor. He remembered the condom in his pocket, and by the time he fished it out, she was out of her panties and on the bed, lying catty-cornered across the coverlet. He brought his knee up onto the bed, but she held up her hand.

"Suit up," she said. "I want you _now_."

"Yes, ma'am." He got the condom on with the speed of practice, then crawled up onto the bed. She wrapped her legs around his thighs, urging him forward, but he had to take a moment. He cupped her right breast, squeezing and thumbing her nipple, before stroking his hand across her sternum and down, over her belly and through her curls. His fingers slid easily through her wetness, and he pushed two fingers into her, watching as Helen's eyes slid closed in response.

"Helen," he whispered, to see her look at him. Her eyes were dark with desire, and his throat tightened on words he didn't dare think, let alone say.

"Will. Now." Her words were an order, but her tone was gentle, coaxing him out of his own head. He nodded and pulled his fingers free. He pressed forward slowly, his breath shuddering out of him as he finally entered her. Helen cried out, dropping her feet to the bed and shoving her pelvis up, forcing his cock even deeper. She was impatient, wanting to go fast, and normally he'd follow her lead without question. But Helen didn't want his blind obedience in other areas of their lives, and he suspected that was the case in the bedroom as well. He got his knees under him, sitting back on his heels as he pulled Helen's ass up onto his thighs. The position pulled his cock down, so he had to go slow to stay inside her. She narrowed her eyes at him, but she didn't try to speed him up or change positions. Will was grateful; after today, he needed it slow. He needed the build to chase away the frustration of the day. He needed to know that she was here, feeling this with him, and not thinking about any other responsibilities.

He rolled his hips slowly. Helen watched him, breathing open-mouthed, and matched her movements to his. Her hair was spread out against the bed, trailing over the edge, her body naked and flushed. She looked like some kind of vision in a painting, an artist's muse, and he had to run his hand up her stomach to reassure himself he could.

"Touch yourself," he said. Helen brought her hand up across her hip, fingers arrowing for her clit, but he intercepted her, guiding her hand up to her breast. She smiled slowly, wickedly, and brought her other hand up as well, pushing her breasts together with her palms while she rolled her nipples with her fingers. Will lost it for a moment, thrusting in fast and hard. He drew back slower, more in control, but he wasn't going to last forever, no matter how much he wanted to drag it out all night long.

Will teased a finger between her curls, finding her clit. She closed her eyes, pushing her head back into the mattress. He rubbed faster, trying to keep his own thrusts at a constant rhythm, dragging his cock against her upper wall, waiting for the moment when her hands dropped away from her breasts and her head started thrashing from side to side. She was still so quiet, just the ragged sound of her breath and a few muted, hitching gasps as the only vocal sign of her need.

"Helen," he called, waiting for her to open her eyes. Then he surged forward, pushing in deep like she'd wanted before, thrusting fast and hard. A single harsh cry escaped her throat, and then she clenched around him, her whole body shaking as she came. Will didn't try to hang on. He dropped his head and just let go, driving into her until his orgasm rolled through him.

"My Will," he thought he heard her say, but his blood was roaring in his ears. By the time he recovered enough to lift his head, she was simply smiling up at him. She rubbed the back of her fingers across his cheek, then stroked her thumb across his bottom lip. Will dropped forward, letting her take some of his weight as he kissed her. One kiss turned into several; lazy, open-mouthed kisses that made him wish his body was super-human. Too soon, though, he pushed himself up and off of her, drawing away to take care of the condom.

Helen greeted him with a full-out grin when he crawled back onto the bed. "Bloody fantastic," she said, and Will laughed in agreement. He kissed her shoulder, then the base of her neck. Helen drew away before he could kiss her again, though, bringing a hand up to his chest.

"What?" he asked.

"I need to go," she said, looking genuinely regretful. "I promised Maria that we'd resume our discussion after dinner, and I'm afraid I've already been longer than I intended."

"Oh. Well, I can't say I won't miss you, but—" Will indulged himself by pushing past her restraining hand so he could nip lightly at her neck. "—I'm not going to brood about it."

Helen snorted. It was such an unladylike noise that he had to blow a raspberry against her throat, just to see if she'd do it again. Instead, she broke out laughing and retaliated by pushing him over onto his back. She dug her fingers into his ribcage, hard, and his whole body spasmed. She didn't let up until he was choking with the need for air and had squirmed halfway across the bed, his legs and one thigh off the edge.

"Okay, okay!" he shouted, trying fruitlessly to grab her hand. "I'll be good. Please."

"Mmm," she said, rubbing soothingly at his side in apology, even as eyes shone with a wicked gleam. "I do believe you're always good."

Will chuckled. "I try, anyway."

"And you succeed very well." Helen stilled her hand with a sigh, clearly intent on getting back to the job. "Do you want to come down with me? I know you expressed interest earlier in talking with the nocturnal species."

Will thought about it for half a second. He was a little tired, but his usual post-coital lassitude had been chased away by their little tussle. He nodded and pushed himself up. "Yeah. I just need to grab a quick shower first."

"Don't bother," she said, leaning over the edge of the bed to scoop up her dress. "You look fine."

He snorted. "Yeah, but—" He waved at himself. "You know. The smell."

She rolled back towards him, dress still in her hand, and pressed her face to his chest, nuzzling a bit. "I like the way you smell."

"Careful," he said. "I'm not going to let you go if you keep doing stuff like that."

Helen sat back, raising an eyebrow at him. "And how do you propose to keep me here?"

He composed his face very carefully, lip protruding just shy of comical. "I'll brood at you."

She laughed, a quick burst that soon subsided into smaller giggles. "Well, I certainly wouldn't be able to resist that." She bussed his cheek, then rolled gracefully off the bed and onto her feet. "Best make my escape before I'm doomed."

"So close," he said, snapping his fingers. He got out of bed, too, but hesitated picking up his underwear. "Are you sure it's okay if I go down there like this? I mean, I know how well some of those guys sniff things out."

Helen shrugged. "Honestly, it doesn't matter one way or the other. They'd be able to tell even if you did shower."

Will stared at her. "Right. That's a little—" He stared at her some more. "And you're okay with that?"

She had the dress on now, and was working on her panties. She paused with them halfway up her thighs. "I wouldn't have done this if I weren't."

"That's...good." He pulled on his underwear, but when he started on his jeans, another thought smacked him hard in the head. A kind of ridiculous thought, but it wouldn't leave him. "Are you...claiming me?"

He'd expected her to laugh at him again, or to level a glare at him that'd wither him where he stood. Instead Helen simply sat down on the edge of the bed to put on her shoes and looked at him without a trace of ire or coyness. "Does that bother you?"

"I don't know," he said slowly, not really able to wrap his head around the idea. "I guess that depends on what it means."

"It means I'm having sex with you," she said. "Really, it's not more than that. But I think it may be useful for you, amongst certain species who find it rather hard to accept newcomers into their circle. They'll know how much I trust you."

"Huh." Part of him _was_ bothered, not liking the idea that sleeping with the boss was earning him perks. They were odd perks, though, ones that made him more efficient. Will finally shrugged and went back to getting dressed. "Sometimes I think I'm never going to get used to this job."

Helen stood and crossed the distance between them. Taller than him once more, she dropped a soft kiss on his lips. "That's what makes the job so fun. There's always something new."

"Even for you?" he asked, even though he already knew the answer.

Her smile was wistful. "Even for me. Now, hurry up. I've really kept Maria waiting far too long."

* * *

He woke to the sound of his bedroom door clicking shut. Will held his breath, trying to force his eyes to make out the forms in the shadows with only the aid of the distant city light that trickled through the glass of the balcony door. He'd always been overly aware of the night, ever since his mom was killed, but he'd become hypervigilant since the incident with the chameleon abnormals trying to suck his brain.

"Relax," Henry said quietly. "It's just me."

Will blew out his breath. "Good to know. Something up?"

"Uh." There was a soft, whispering sound—feet shuffling indecisively over the tile. Will could picture Henry rubbing at the back of his neck. "Not really. I was just wondering if I could crash in here with you?"

Will pushed himself up to sitting, then reached over to flick on the bedside lamp. Sure enough, Henry was standing there looking like he was ready to bolt back out the door. 

"Sure," Will said. He briefly thought of Helen, but he knew she'd be up with Maria most of the night, unlikely to come back to his room before it was time to head out. He tugged the sheet back from the bed in a sign of welcome. "No problem. Something wrong with your room?"

Henry rolled his eyes. "Just that it's right next to Tesla's."

Will raised his eyebrows, waiting while Henry stripped down to his boxers. "Do I want to know why that's an issue?"

"Probably not." Henry slipped under the sheet, laying on his side with his head propped on his hand. "He and Camila were still up when I left."

"Talking?" Will prompted. Henry's pointed look was all the answer he needed. "Oh, man. I so did not need to know that."

"You and me both." Henry sighed. "Okay, and to be honest, that's not the only reason I came here."

Will blinked at the sleep stickiness in his eyes, trying to figure out if he'd missed something. "And?"

"I realized I'm kind of an idiot."

"Uh, well that's obviously not true." Will nudged him in the side. "That whole hard drive recovery thing? Still freakin' brilliant. Not to mention rigging a detonator out of a centrifuge."

Henry smiled. "Thanks. But I meant, you know, earlier. When you asked about dinner."

" _Oh._ " Will shook his head. "Sorry. I'm not at my best when I've just woken up."

Henry's smile turned into a grin. "I know. It's kind of adorable. It's the only time when you don't run circles around the rest of us."

Will rolled his eyes. "Right. Because that actually happens."

"Okay, not with like, tech stuff or anything, but noticing stuff. Especially with people." Henry winked. "I'd like to say that's why I didn't catch on earlier, but you could have held a blow torch under me and I wouldn't have caught on fire. I get that way sometimes, when I'm really into a project."

"You don't say," he murmured, mostly to see the way Henry narrowed his eyes. Will laughed. "Don't worry. I get it. Although I can't say I didn't miss you."

Henry's eyes sparked, but then he sighed. "Yeah, well, I guess it worked out for the best, anyway."

Will frowned. "What do you mean?"

Henry shrugged. "You and Magnus."

"Oh. Oh, hey. It's not a, an upgrade, or a trade-off, you know." Will scrubbed fingers over his eyelids, wiping away the traces of sleep. "I wasn't trying to get you in bed because I couldn't get her, or vice versa."

"Yeah, I know." Henry shook his head. "Sorry. I'm just feeling stupid. And horny."

Will snorted. "Well, I can fix at least one of those," he said, reaching out to roll his thumb over Henry's near nipple.

Henry arched into his touch. "See, that's what I'm talking about. You definitely have a way with people stuff."

"You're right. I am totally a sex god." Will could see Henry gearing up to make some smart remark, so he gently tugged on the barbell in his nipple. Henry's eyelids fluttered closed and his mouth dropped open. "Yep. I am good."

Henry caught his hand, smile spreading across his lips before he bothered to open his eyes. "If I disagree, will it urge you on to greater heights?"

"Mmm, probably, but I'd make you pay for it first." Will scooted down, so he was on his back, and tugged Henry towards him by the grip he had on Will's wrist. Henry let himself be pulled, dropping his other hand to the bed on Will's other side, leaving them chest to chest. Will curled upwards for a kiss, one of Henry's hungry, raw kisses that always left Will's head spinning and his cock ready to go.

"Okay, if you're not up for this, you'd better say so right now," Henry said, rubbing his scruff against Will's cheek and neck. Will grunted and clutched at Henry's back, pulling him down so they were pressed together all the way from chest to groin.

"Why wouldn't I be up for this?" he said, rolling his hips up into Henry's.

"Mmm." Henry kissed his jaw, then ground his cock against Will's. "Because, you know, with Magnus earlier."

"Oh. Right. No, I'm good to go." He felt his face flame a little—and then flame more as he remembered his earlier conversation with Helen. Part of him had always known that Henry's senses meant that Henry knew more about him than Will was strictly comfortable with. But he hadn't really given a lot of thought to this exact context. "Uh. Does it bother you?"

Henry pulled back, frowning through his brow line, though his eyes were still amused. "That you're good to go?"

Will rolled his eyes. Laurel and Hardy had nothing on his life at times. "No. I meant, you know. You can smell us together, right?"

"Oh, that." Henry shrugged. "No, dude. It's fine. I mean, it's not like I haven't been in the same room with you and her before. I think I can handle a little afterglow."

"You sure?" Will tucked his chin, trying to get a good read on Henry's face. "Because I know you were freaked out about walking in on us."

"Because I didn't know what to do, man. You were all laid out like a buffet in front of me, but I wasn't the one invited to dinner."

Will winced. "Yeah. I'm really sorry about that."

Henry tipped his head to the side in a shrug. "I'll get over it. Just, you know, keep locking the door if you don't want me to take it as an invitation."

"I can do that," he said, smiling a little. He would have liked to be able to just throw out blanket permission to both Henry and Helen, but that was completely overstepping his bounds. And, to be truthful, he valued the time he got to spend with them individually. "You sure the smell thing is okay? Because I can shower if you want me to."

"Nah, it's cool." But there was a gleam in Henry's eyes that said there was something else going on in his head.

"But?"

Henry held himself still for a second, preternaturally so, and then eased forward, sliding up so that his mouth was right next to Will's ear. "You really wanna know?"

His pulse jumped. Will nodded, his cheek rasping against Henry's.

Henry pushed himself back up, until he was kneeling over Will's left thigh. "Turn off the light," he said, his voice low and softly commanding. Will did it without hesitation. Henry shifted as he did, shuffling around in the dark, and then his hands were on the waistband of Will's underwear, pulling them down. Will almost got an elbow in his face as he moved to help, just the soft brush of air across his cheek letting him know how close it'd passed, but somehow they finally managed to get him naked without any actual injury.

"It's not a jealousy thing," Henry said in that same quiet, firm tone. "And it's not.... Okay, I was going to say it's not a turn-on, but that's totally not true. It's not about her, though. It's you. And sex."

Will swallowed. He nodded, wondering whether Henry's eyes were good enough in the dark to make out the gesture, or if his ears would translate the sound into motion.

"I can smell what you did." Henry moved back over him, the insides of his knees pressing into Will's hips, arms braced outside Will's shoulders. He was naked too, Will could tell, his balls brushing against Will's cock as he shifted slightly. "Your sweat. Where she kissed you." 

Henry dipped down and stroked his tongue up Will's sternum, right where Helen had pressed her face earlier. Will clutched at the back of his neck, but Henry was already moving up for a kiss. He kept this one light, teasing, his lips shaped to Will's, sharing breath before his tongue flicked out to touch. Then he moved back. "You didn't go down on her."

"Not this time," he agreed, the words as scratchy as his throat. 

Henry found his left hand easily, no fumbling about in the dark, and lifted it to his mouth. He sucked Will's first two fingers in, not all the way. Just far enough that he could circle his tongue around them. "You did finger her, though."

"Jesus," Will murmured.

"You want me to stop?"

Will bucked up hard, straining for contact, but Henry moved with him, holding himself away except for minor brushes of skin. Not enough for any kind of satisfaction. "You know I don't," he said. "Oh, and, by the way? You're killing me. Absolutely killing me with hotness."

Henry chuckled softly. He started crawling backwards, until he was poised with his mouth right above Will's cock. "You're still using condoms," he said, his breath puffing tortuously across the head. "So I can smell her, but not nearly as much as you. Your come." His tongue flicked out, and Will curled halfway up off the bed. A whine escaped him when Henry didn't follow through, and he dropped back down to the bed with a thump that made the springs squeak.

"Right here, though," Henry said, sliding back until he was hovering above Will's knees. He set his hands on Will's upper quads, squeezing lightly. "That's where I smell her the most."

Right where Helen had been pressed up against his lap as Will held her there, fucking her as slowly as he could manage. His cock throbbed with the memory, throbbed again with anticipation of Henry's next move.

"And?" he managed to ask, needing to push Henry over the edge of whatever hesitation he might have.

"And it makes me want to do this." Henry stretched out again, still not quite laying on top of Will, but definitely in contact this time. His left hand was tucked beside Will's side, holding himself up. Will wasn't quite sure what he was doing—until he felt the first wet, tickling touch against his thigh.

"I don't care if you smell like her," Henry said, rocking a little now, his hand pressing the head of his cock against Will's skin, leaving trails of pre-come behind. "But god, I want you to smell like me, too."

"Oh, man. I can so deal with that." He was frustrated, wanting more than Henry's light touches, and so hard he knew Henry could smell him leaking--but it was the good kind of frustrated. The kind that promised a big payoff at the end. 

He thought maybe Henry planned on getting himself off just like that, painting Will's thighs with his come--but then Henry grunted and surged forward, finally laying himself out on top of Will. Will groaned in relief as their cocks pressed together.

"It kind of freaks me out," Henry said, face pressed into the side of Will's throat. "The things you make me want to do to you."

"You mean sex things?" Will asked, pulse skipping a little despite the fact that his thoughts were unruffled. "Or, like, tear-me-apart kind of things?"

"Sex things." Henry raised his head. "The HAP's not like that, I swear. I'm not gonna hurt you."

"I know," he said, and he did. He started stroking his fingers over the dips and rises of muscle under Henry's arm. "Pretty much everything freaks me out," he confessed. "The job, mostly, but this, too. I still don't know what the hell I'm doing."

"I guess we're in the same boat, then."

Will brought his hand up, found the back of Henry's head in the dark, and coaxed him in for a kiss. "What do you want to do?" he asked when they parted. "I'm pretty much good with anything that doesn't hurt."

Henry didn't say anything for a moment. Their breathing was loud, creating expectation in the space between them. "I want to suck you off," he said finally. "And then I want to get as much of my come on you as possible."

"Yeah, okay." Will licked his lips. "That works for me."

Henry made a sound, something between a growl and a whine, and then kissed him hard and fast, leaving Will still trying to catch up when he pulled away. Henry moved down, settling so his knees pushed Will's thighs wide apart. Will started panting and clutched at the sheet under his hands, even before he felt Henry's breath approach his cock.

"I could suck you all night long," Henry said—and then he lowered his mouth.

"Shit!" Will let go of the sheets when Henry licked up the length of Will's cock. He reached for Henry's head, barely turning his need to clutch into petting touches. Not that Henry had hair he could clutch at, not really. Not like Helen's hair. Henry sucked him in deep, then pulled off slowly, circling his tongue, flattening it over the head. No way they were going to make all night at this rate, not even with so little of it left. Henry licked at him until Will was squirming from too much stimulation. He was _this close_ to pushing Henry away, maybe begging to be put out of his misery, when Henry stopped playing around. He set a fast rhythm, just like Will liked. Will came within moments, his whole body shuddering from the strength of the orgasm.

Henry pulled off and knelt up. As Will's breathing eased, he could hear Henry's heavy breathing and the sound of his hand on his cock. He wasn't sure whether he should give Henry a helping hand, or maybe do a little dirty talking. Before he could make up his mind, Henry let out one of his distinctive growling moans, and Will felt the first spurt hit his belly. More landed on his chest. He figured out that Henry was moving forward, aiming, just in time to close his eyes. The last of Henry's load hit him under the cheekbone, hot and wet and smelling so strongly of Henry that Will's dick twitched with the need to go again.

"Oh, yeah," Henry gasped, and then he half-collapsed on top of Will and started squirming. It took Will an embarrassingly long amount of time to figure out that Henry was using his own body to spread his come around, getting it all over both of them. When Henry stretched up to rub his cheek against his, Will caught him and drew him into a kiss.

"Beard burn," he explained, and Henry snorted.

"Sorry," he said, and then brought his hand up, spreading his fingers through the mess on Will's cheek like a kid playing in paint. It was weirdly erotic. Something Will never would have thought he'd find hot, but right now, it was working for him.

 _Later_ , though. "I am definitely going to have to shower after this."

Henry chuckled. "We're both going to have to shower after this," he said, dipping his head for another slow, deep kiss. "Or they're gonna need to bring in a crowbar to pry us apart."

Will glanced at the clock on the bedside table. If they rushed, they could still get a bit of sleep before they had to be up. Or.... Really, at this point, it'd be easier to stay up and just sleep on the plane. "You know, we have a pretty good track record when it comes to showers." 

"See, what'd I say?" Henry bit him lightly on the neck, then rolled off, of Will and the bed both. "You are definitely a genius."

END


End file.
